Playlist Prompts
by slasher-round-the-keyboard
Summary: Prompts- 10 songs, with a fic for every song. The general idea is that Camelot is at war and Arthur is making Merlin stay in the castle.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter one of the Merlin/Arthur playlist prompts.

Rufus Wainwright's- The Consort

Prince Arthur was nothing like his father, as a man, and the people of Camelot had every reason to believe he would be a different sort of king as well.

When he was crowned, Merlin stood among the nobles. The servant Merlin, who'd wrecked such havoc in the amount of time he'd been in the city.

When Geoffrey of Monmouth stepped back, the clearly memorized words dying on his lips, Arthur's eyes caught Merlin's from across the short distance and in the thread was private conversations and promises from years ago spread out for the court to see. _Together we'll wreak havoc, you and me._

The changes begin almost at once. Even though Merlin's throne is slightly smaller than the new king's, the fact that it stands at all says more than anyone could have said. _Entrust in me, you're not alone._

The king and the servant smirk at each other when they pass each other. _No more to hide with I your faithful consort. By your side._

No one is meant to know, which, in a castle like Camelot, means everyone does. _Prepare your things. Dissolve your mind_

Everyone has seen the way Merlin encourages Arthur, though he still has enough boyish pride to insist it is council. _Prepare to reign_

It's equally difficult to miss the genuine fondness between them, or the longstanding camaraderie. _'Cause I'm your consort beautiful queen of seventeen.  
_

_A blood red moon has spared our bed  
But not your rivals  
Let streamers fly  
And cannons roar  
On your arrival beautiful queen  
Tomorrow night  
Prepare to walk  
On anyone her highness ever wants_


	2. Chapter 2

Ain't No Sunshine

"Things aren't the same when you aren't here to be a prat" was all Merlin said when Arthur strode into the room, only limping when the door was firmly closed behind him.

Their eyes met and when Arthur nodded, smiling a tight mockery of his usual smirk, Merlin knew he'd understood.

Merlin had left once and when he'd returned Arthur had been there. "Things aren't the same when you aren't here to play the idiot" Arthur had whispered to him when he'd passed, a heavy load of dirty tunics and armor in his arms.

Merlin knows he knows how it feels.

Arthur is gone again the next week.

The castle seems colder now, the hallways empty and the rooms full with a constant chill lingering. Merlin knows it isn't, because it's summer and Gaius shoots him odd looks when he builds a fire every night.

There isn't any sunshine; he wants to explain, though he knows full well that there is. Or it's not warm, though Gaius has been warning him about heatstroke recently.

The truth is, there's no sunshine when he's gone and he's always gone too long. Nothing feels right and the castle stops feeling like home.

Each time he wonders where Arthur is and each time he wonders if he's gone to stay.

He has nightmares about it and Gaius doesn't mention it when he wakes screaming, but he does press a vial of the same sleeping potion he gives Morgana into his hand.

And each time Arthur comes home, bruised and bloody from playing the hero, Merlin walks a little straighter and laughs a little louder until the warning bells sound again.

It hurts a little more every time Arthur leaves and, when he's gone there is only darkness every day.


	3. Chapter 3

I doubt that the BBC is funded by suing people who forget disclaimers, but here it is. None of these characters are mine.

Rebel Prince.

Merlin watches.

And sometimes, sometimes, he feels as if this is all he ever does.

Stand in the shadows and manipulate people, more power than they will ever know at his fingertips, but watching only. He dips a finger into events, the way Nimueh did at her fountain, but he can only watch.

Now, there is nothing left to watch. Arthur is gone. Again.

They left late last night, banners waving and armor shinning in the torchlight, shoulders straight and proud, but with a heaviness of anticipation.

Now, Arthur is gone and Merlin asks himself, where is my master, the rebel prince. There are only chores, now, and orders, to remind him of what is missing. The windows, all around him, have been shut and locked until Arthur's return. To rid his dirty mind of all its preciousness while Arthur is out, somewhere, fighting and killing.

Standing at the windowsill is as close as he can get to the things outside the castle, the things that try to break them. And, standing at the window, he can almost see Arthur, though he's so far away, amongst the roving crowd. Or maybe he can't. Or maybe he's really seeing Arthur.

Unless it's all a dream.

He's going the other way, which infuriates Merlin as much as it makes him love Arthur and for a moment, Merlin wants to disregard his orders.

So he does. He's leaving; confounded anger slips in its vote and changing his mind. Merlin's going to leave it all, the castle they know so well, the job, the fear, everything.

Even Arthur.

He'll be back tomorrow.

Xxxxx

I'm not terribly fond of this chapter, but Rebel Prince is a surprisingly difficult prompt.

Next, I don't know if anyone will read this, but I'm going to beg for reviews. I'm not joking when I say that they mean a lot.


	4. Chapter 4

It's getting too angsy, but then again, so are the songs. So, yeah, I promise it'll get less dark.  
Song by Traffic  
**Feelin' Alright- **

This has to be a dream, Merlin thinks and nonono, they can't end like this. He doesn't know if this is a dream, but nightmare or no, it is his job, destiny, duty and pleasure to save Arthur's skin.

That decided, he runs forward, only time doesn't seem to be working right and it's against him, and here it has to be a dream, and-

Arthur's sword is flashing, a strange smile on his face, but nothing, nothing but magic- the Magic that Merlin is trying to call with every fiber in and around him, can stop the sword whistling down, cutting deep into Arthur's stomach. And then there's nothing he can do to stop the horrible grimace that flashes over Arthur's face or the terrible sound he makes, soft and pained.

Merlin would be screaming. He should be screaming, wants to be.

He wants to be the one in Arthur's place, bleeding on the floor, hands clutching at his stomach. Not pain, or glory, but he will do anything in that moment to get Arthur away and save him, the way he usually does.

He stands still and in an instant the world stands with him, as they run. He is kneeling by Arthur's side, where he belongs, not out of place even when Uther drops to his knees beside him, the beginning of a tear working its way down his face.

He wants to say something, do some small gesture. Anything.

This is a dream.

It has to be.

But Merlin doesn't know what to think when he wakes him a tangle of sweaty sheets, tears already on his cheeks and another strangled cry tearing itself loose. Gaius is already in the door, potion in hand and a dreadful sort of pity in his eyes.

Once more, Merlin is stuck with the heavy feeling of need. Need to explain something that Gaius understands in blacks and whites. Need to tell him something that doesn't exist, shades of grey that aren't and can only be understood if he understands these nonexistent words.

_Every night I have the strangest dreams, imprisoned by the way it could have been. _

Tell him that it's worst, as it always is when he is left on his own or so it seems. Tell him that he's got to leave before he starts to scream, to be on his own in a different, necessary way.

He can't escape.

Not without Arthur, who has locked him in as securely as the dragon calling him and kept the key on a ring.

It makes him so angry, wondering if it has all been one big ride. He can hear it, pretend words ringing in his head. "Oh, don't worry about him. That's just Merlin."

He can't help but wonder why, even now, and why the thought of Arthur always makes him cry these days.

I just can't waste my time I must keep dry  
Gotta stop believing in all your lies  
Cause there's too much to do before I die  
Ya feelin' alright  
I'm not feelin to good myself  
Don't get too lost in all I say  
Though at the time I really felt that way  
But that was then and now it is today  
Can get up there and so I'm here to stay  
Till' someone comes along and takes my place  
With a different name and yes a different face

XXX  
If you're reading this story, I know you'll be interested. You may have heard of PIPA. If not, it is a bill that will get rid of sites like , Youtube, Facebook, Wikipedia, and others.

This is something that should not be allowed to happen and so, petition!

www. avaaz. Org / es / save _ the _ internet


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